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Post by zontar on Aug 11, 2021 7:21:03 GMT
Did Clapton Peak Too Early?
While this is actually a lesson on Clapton's playing in the 60s, it does raise the question. Did Clapton peak too soon (i.e. with Cream)--or not--and doe sit matter? Who else may have peaked too soon? I'll share some thoughts as well.
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Post by johnreardon on Aug 11, 2021 10:58:02 GMT
Articles like this make me laugh.
Having myself played as long as Clapton, I would say people change or evolve. Making statements like 'peak too early' is more a comment on what musical style the reviewer likes.
My musical tastes and style of playing has changed since the 60s, so has Clapton's. As I got older, my guitar speed has slowed, but on the positive side I have learned when not to play.
Comparing what someone plays in a 3 piece band of 3 great musicians to what that person plays today, where he is the main focus of a band of multiple talented musicians, is pointless.
This Jon MacLennan is a 'child' who has written an article with a headline to try and invoke either publicity or controversy.
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Post by Bill h on Aug 11, 2021 18:55:55 GMT
Peaked to early? Not a chance, don’t think there is a peak with a talent like him. Like John said, he evolved, took what he was doing at the time as far as he could and went to the next thing.
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Post by zontar on Aug 12, 2021 4:55:58 GMT
Articles like this make me laugh. Having myself played as long as Clapton, I would say people change or evolve. Making statements like 'peak too early' is more a comment on what musical style the reviewer likes. My musical tastes and style of playing has changed since the 60s, so has Clapton's. As I got older, my guitar speed has slowed, but on the positive side I have learned when not to play. Comparing what someone plays in a 3 piece band of 3 great musicians to what that person plays today, where he is the main focus of a band of multiple talented musicians, is pointless. This Jon MacLennan is a 'child' who has written an article with a headline to try and invoke either publicity or controversy. It certain;y was a click-baitfish type title--when it was really more of an article of how to play what Clapton played back then. So from that perspective good article. But he definitely did adapt & change over the years--and from Yardbirds to Bleusbreakers to Cream--lots of change In some ways that is my favourite period for Clapton. But sure, beyond that--Blind Faith, Delaney & Bonnie, Derek & the Dominoes-and various styles in a solo career Some cool stuff along the way.And some stuff I don't like as much. His Crossroads Boxed set is a good retrospective from Yardbirds until the set was done. |
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Post by johnreardon on Aug 12, 2021 7:40:30 GMT
Articles like this make me laugh. Having myself played as long as Clapton, I would say people change or evolve. Making statements like 'peak too early' is more a comment on what musical style the reviewer likes. My musical tastes and style of playing has changed since the 60s, so has Clapton's. As I got older, my guitar speed has slowed, but on the positive side I have learned when not to play. Comparing what someone plays in a 3 piece band of 3 great musicians to what that person plays today, where he is the main focus of a band of multiple talented musicians, is pointless. This Jon MacLennan is a 'child' who has written an article with a headline to try and invoke either publicity or controversy. It certain;y was a click-baitfish type title--when it was really more of an article of how to play what Clapton played back then. So from that perspective good article. But he definitely did adapt & change over the years--and from Yardbirds to Bleusbreakers to Cream--lots of change In some ways that is my favourite period for Clapton. But sure, beyond that--Blind Faith, Delaney & Bonnie, Derek & the Dominoes-and various styles in a solo career Some cool stuff along the way.And some stuff I don't like as much. His Crossroads Boxed set is a good retrospective from Yardbirds until the set was done. Agree, I have that and most of his stuff. The 80s period wasn't really to my liking, but music stopped then didn't it?  |
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Post by zontar on Aug 14, 2021 19:29:48 GMT
It certain;y was a click-baitfish type title--when it was really more of an article of how to play what Clapton played back then. So from that perspective good article. But he definitely did adapt & change over the years--and from Yardbirds to Bleusbreakers to Cream--lots of change In some ways that is my favourite period for Clapton. But sure, beyond that--Blind Faith, Delaney & Bonnie, Derek & the Dominoes-and various styles in a solo career Some cool stuff along the way.And some stuff I don't like as much. His Crossroads Boxed set is a good retrospective from Yardbirds until the set was done. Agree, I have that and most of his stuff. The 80s period wasn't really to my liking, but music stopped then didn't it? Some of it did "stop" and when I think 80s music I am probably thinking of different songs than many I know. (I'm thinking Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, reunited Deep Purple, etc.) |
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Post by Bill h on Aug 14, 2021 22:55:53 GMT
Agree, I have that and most of his stuff. The 80s period wasn't really to my liking, but music stopped then didn't it? Some of it did "stop" and when I think 80s music I am probably thinking of different songs than many I know. (I'm thinking Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, reunited Deep Purple, etc.) When it comes to rock/metal there was a lot of cheese in the 80’s, all that hairspray, wow. Big hair and cheesy pop metal aside, I’ve always thought the 80’s produced some of the greatest guitar players, the 90’s, not so much. |
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Post by zontar on Aug 14, 2021 23:16:23 GMT
Some of it did "stop" and when I think 80s music I am probably thinking of different songs than many I know. (I'm thinking Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, reunited Deep Purple, etc.) When it comes to rock/metal there was a lot of cheese in the 80’s, all that hairspray, wow. Big hair and cheesy pop metal aside, I’ve always thought the 80’s produced some of the greatest guitar players, the 90’s, not so much. there was a wide range of musical styles out there and it seems odd who narrow some people get when they say "80s music" It really means music they like from the 80s And it's cool that there was a lot stuff, metal, hard rock, blues, straight forward rock & roll, etc. |
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Post by Sgt Rock on Aug 14, 2021 23:27:43 GMT
Articles like this make me laugh. Having myself played as long as Clapton, I would say people change or evolve. Making statements like 'peak too early' is more a comment on what musical style the reviewer likes. My musical tastes and style of playing has changed since the 60s, so has Clapton's. As I got older, my guitar speed has slowed, but on the positive side I have learned when not to play. Comparing what someone plays in a 3 piece band of 3 great musicians to what that person plays today, where he is the main focus of a band of multiple talented musicians, is pointless. This Jon MacLennan is a 'child' who has written an article with a headline to try and invoke either publicity or controversy. I agree with John on this. if anything, Clapton keeps on evolving. even to this day, he's still re-inventing himself. I was watching a documentary about SRV today and he was always improving, always moving forward.
if you think about when anyone starts playing, they don't play the same way they do later in their playing career. the longer we each play, then the more your playing changes/evolves.
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Post by Bill h on Aug 15, 2021 2:22:31 GMT
When it comes to rock/metal there was a lot of cheese in the 80’s, all that hairspray, wow. Big hair and cheesy pop metal aside, I’ve always thought the 80’s produced some of the greatest guitar players, the 90’s, not so much. there was a wide range of musical styles out there and it seems odd who narrow some people get when they say "80s music" It really means music they like from the 80s And it's cool that there was a lot stuff, metal, hard rock, blues, straight forward rock & roll, etc. A lot of things were happening in the 80’s that led to grunge and a complete change in the 90’s. In the early 80’s punk was on fire at the same time big hair metal started taking hold. And on par with the rest of it, British new wave was making a splash with u2 leading the pack. It was an awesome decade that doesn’t get enough credit for the impact that it made in today’s music. |
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 15, 2021 8:59:26 GMT
Articles like this make me laugh. Having myself played as long as Clapton, I would say people change or evolve. Making statements like 'peak too early' is more a comment on what musical style the reviewer likes. My musical tastes and style of playing has changed since the 60s, so has Clapton's. As I got older, my guitar speed has slowed, but on the positive side I have learned when not to play. Comparing what someone plays in a 3 piece band of 3 great musicians to what that person plays today, where he is the main focus of a band of multiple talented musicians, is pointless. This Jon MacLennan is a 'child' who has written an article with a headline to try and invoke either publicity or controversy. I agree with John on this. if anything, Clapton keeps on evolving. even to this day, he's still re-inventing himself. I was watching a documentary about SRV today and he was always improving, always moving forward.
if you think about when anyone starts playing, they don't play the same way they do later in their playing career. the longer we each play, then the more your playing changes/evolves.
Truth is that some artists actually gain popularity after they "peak". Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong were good example of this.As they got older both lost range and Chinese. But saying they were "past their prime" would be kind of silly, considering both made the real money during that time. |
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Post by zontar on Aug 15, 2021 9:13:07 GMT
I agree with John on this. if anything, Clapton keeps on evolving. even to this day, he's still re-inventing himself. I was watching a documentary about SRV today and he was always improving, always moving forward.
if you think about when anyone starts playing, they don't play the same way they do later in their playing career. the longer we each play, then the more your playing changes/evolves.
Truth is that some artists actually gain popularity after they "peak". Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong were good example of this.As they got older both lost range and Chinese. But saying they were "past their prime" would be kind of silly, considering both made the real money during that time. I'm curious to know what you meant that autocorrect changed... |
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 16, 2021 6:07:48 GMT
Truth is that some artists actually gain popularity after they "peak". Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong were good example of this.As they got older both lost range and Chinese. But saying they were "past their prime" would be kind of silly, considering both made the real money during that time. I'm curious to know what you meant that autocorrect changed... That's a weird autocorrect fail- the word was supposed to be "technique" |
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Post by johnreardon on Aug 16, 2021 7:58:24 GMT
there was a wide range of musical styles out there and it seems odd who narrow some people get when they say "80s music" It really means music they like from the 80s And it's cool that there was a lot stuff, metal, hard rock, blues, straight forward rock & roll, etc. A lot of things were happening in the 80’s that led to grunge and a complete change in the 90’s. In the early 80’s punk was on fire at the same time big hair metal started taking hold. And on par with the rest of it, British new wave was making a splash with u2 leading the pack. It was an awesome decade that doesn’t get enough credit for the impact that it made in today’s music. Punk? 
Awful for me.
Not sure if U2 would like being called British. They're from Dublin, Ireland, although the guitarist was born in England. |
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Post by Bill h on Aug 16, 2021 19:59:32 GMT
A lot of things were happening in the 80’s that led to grunge and a complete change in the 90’s. In the early 80’s punk was on fire at the same time big hair metal started taking hold. And on par with the rest of it, British new wave was making a splash with u2 leading the pack. It was an awesome decade that doesn’t get enough credit for the impact that it made in today’s music. Punk?
Awful for me.
Not sure if U2 would like being called British. They're from Dublin, Ireland, although the guitarist was born in England. Back in the early 80’s MTV came out which was almost entirely rock and new wave music, some punk. I was watching a lot of it and that’s when I was exposed to u-2 and other bands from Ireland and areas around the UK but mostly from Great Britain. I wasn’t into punk or new wave at the time, just the rock side of it. My taste in music went to much harder metal thru the 80’s and then halfway thru the 90’s I did a complete 180 and started listening to more blues oriented stuff. I think I just kind of grew out of the metal thing. |
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Post by zontar on Aug 20, 2021 5:12:20 GMT
I'm curious to know what you meant that autocorrect changed... That's a weird autocorrect fail- the word was supposed to be "technique" That makes a lot more sense. So were your fingers just faster than your brain and totally fooled autocorrect--or is autocorrect out to get you? |
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Post by Die Bullen on Aug 20, 2021 11:22:21 GMT
That's a weird autocorrect fail- the word was supposed to be "technique" That makes a lot more sense. So were your fingers just faster than your brain and totally fooled autocorrect--or is autocorrect out to get you? In this case my tablet keyboard was set for German text entry while I was over there so the autocorrect was wreaking havoc, capitalizing nouns right and left and suggesting words that were nowhere near what I was typing. So much for auto language detect... |
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